


Love’s Lullaby

by Mezo_Phane



Series: The Peace of Love [6]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Post-Canon, Armitage Hux Can Sing, Armitage Hux Has Feelings, Armitage Hux Lives, Armitage Hux Needs A Hug, Armitage Hux is Smooth, Armitage Hux is a Tease, But it’s definitely at least a little spicy, F/M, Fatherhood, I call it medium-salsa level spice, Motherhood, Not Canon Compliant, Post-Canon, Post-Canon Fix-It, Rose Tico Deserved Better, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker Fix-It, This may be the steamiest thing I’ve written, armitage hux is soft, but there’s no smut, sorry guys I just don’t write smut, sorry… not sorry?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-03
Updated: 2021-03-03
Packaged: 2021-03-16 10:40:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,096
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29823678
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mezo_Phane/pseuds/Mezo_Phane
Summary: Two parents.One baby.Who will win in the middle of the night?
Relationships: Armitage Hux & Original Child Character(s), Armitage Hux/Rose Tico, Rose Tico & Original Child Character(s)
Series: The Peace of Love [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2106060
Comments: 1
Kudos: 9





	Love’s Lullaby

**Author's Note:**

  * For [WelshArcher](https://archiveofourown.org/users/WelshArcher/gifts).



> A.N. 1: This is for WelshArcher, @WelshArcher on tumblr, who has been an awesome mutual, so helpful and kind, and who has just been all around great.
> 
> Welsh, I really wanted to write something for you that could stand on its own, but I thought and prayed about it really hard, and something told me that it was right to write this story for you.
> 
> I’m only sorry that the story elements aren’t Welsh, but you know… 😉
> 
> All you need to know is that Armitage was exfiltrated from the Steadfast by Finn and Poe, and after an agreement, in which he was placed on planetary house-arrest on the backwater planet of Tareth, he was given the role of Chief Technology Developer for the New Republic.
> 
> Rose, his former handler, followed him, under the guise of helping him get settled on Tareth. Soon, they declared their love for each other, and got married. Now, they have one child, a daughter, Thanya Paige Hux.
> 
> I really hope you like it!  
> ——————————————————————————
> 
> A.N. 2: This is set after Love Multiplied, Not Halved, but before The Food of Love.
> 
> A.N. 3: I know I said I was done with this series. Just...... *gestures helplessly*

It was one of the most rewarding experiences of Rose’s life to be a mother to Thanya Paige, but it was also one of the most tiring.She could swear that the only time she was as tired as this was when she was fighting a literal war.

She was so thankful that she had such a loving and supportive husband in Armitage.He was so involved in Thanya’s life, more than she even thought he would be, which was saying so much.

It was on a quiet Tarethian night that for once had both her and Armitage asleep, that Thanya’s cries pierced the nocturnal silence.

Rose immediately stirred upon hearing her cries, despite having been a deep sleeper her whole life, unable to suppress the sigh that escaped her lips. 

She loved her daughter more than she ever thought possible, but she had truly been hoping and praying for one night of sleep.

Rose had just began to lever herself up to attend to her child, when Armitage’s warm hand on her wrist stayed her.

“Don’t, my love.I’ll take care of her, you need to rest,” he murmured.

“So do you, you’re such a light sleeper, Armie,” Rose frowned.

“I know how to get by on little sleep, I want you to rest, mo chroí.Please let me.”

Rose sighed, she knew that if he got up now, he’d stay awake if not the whole night, then at least for most of it, but the lure of more sleep was like a siren’s song to her.

“But what if I need to feed her,” she protested, putting up a valiant fight against the call of rest and her husband’s entreaties.

“Then I’ll come and get you, I promise.”

She sighed.“…Alright.But you call me if she needs me, okay?”

“I promise.” 

And with that, he leaned forward, pressing a soft kiss to her cheek before standing, putting on his nightrobe and moving to their daughter’s room.

Rose heard Thanya’s cries increase in volume as Armitage went to her, his gentle voice speaking quietly to her.The cries went on for about a minute, and at that point, Rose was about to damn all chance of sleep to Mustafar and get up, when suddenly, Thanya stopped crying.

She held her breath, anticipating the sudden start of her daughter’s cries, but there was nothing but quiet—or near to it, come to think of it. 

Rose strained her hearing, and the house wasn’t as quiet as she initially thought it was.She heard a faint noise coming from the nursery. 

Curious as to what on earth could have gotten Thanya to stop crying, she crept out of bed, and to the nursery. 

And the sight that greeted her melted her heart.

Armitage was standing by the window, facing out, holding Thanya to him, swaying lightly, looking down into her wide brown eyes adoringly as he softly sang, his Arkanisian accent coloring the tone.

“Where Lagan stream sings lullaby,

There blows a rose-bloom fair.

The twilight gleam is in her eye,

The night is on her hair.

And like a love-sick lennan-shee,

She has my heart in thrall!

Nor life I owe nor liberty,

For love is lord of all.”

His voice was a gentle and quiet tenor, but there was a strength and richness to it that was, as in most things relating to Armitage, captivating to her.

He continued,

“And often when the beetle's horn

Hath lulled the eve to sleep,

I steal unto her shieling lorn

And thru the dooring peep.

There on the cricket's singing stone,

She spares the bogwood fire,

And hums in sad sweet undertone

The songs of heart's desire,

Her welcome, like her love for me,

Is from her heart within:

Her warm kiss is felicity

That knows no taint of sin.

And, when I stir my foot to go,

'Tis leaving Love and light

To feel the wind of longing blow

From out the dark of night.”

His voice agilely navigated the song, the notes of the song turning around themselves, ornamenting the simple melody, transforming it into something intricate and haunting.

“Where Lagan stream sings lullaby,

There blows a rose-bloom fair.

The twilight gleam is in her eye,

The night is on her hair.

And like a love-sick lennan-shee,

She has my heart in thrall!

Nor life I owe nor liberty,

For love is lord of all.

Nor life I owe nor liberty,

For love is lord of all.

For love is lord of all.”

As the song drew to a close, a beautiful smile spread across Armitage’s lips, and he gently caressed the rosebud cheek of their daughter, who gazed up at him, her expression intelligent.

“You know, that song is old, older than me, older than even my mother,” he spoke softly in his usual Imperial accent.“My mother, your Mórai, used to sing it to me when I was little.Now I’m singing it to you.It makes me think of Mommy, actually.I think it suits her, don’t you think?

It’s from Daddy’s homeworld, Arkanis.If I could, I’d take you there, it’s beautiful, full of green, rolling hills, clear blue skies, mysterious mists, magnificent cliffs, and ancient buildings called castles.You’d love it there.I could show you where I used to play, when I was allowed to. 

But… Daddy was very foolish when he was younger, so I don’t think I can show you.Perhaps when you’re older, you, Mommy, and Mórai can go.”

Thanya gurgled happily in reply.

Armitage grinned and laughed softly.

“I can’t bring you to my homeworld, but you know what I can do?I’m going to teach you my childhood language—Arkanish.How would you like that, mo leanbh?”

Thanya waved a hand and cooed.

“Well, that means ‘my child’.Because that’s what you are, my very beloved, darling daughter.And I’m Dadaí. _Dah_ -dee. _ Dahhh_-deee.”

She babbled enthusiastically at first before an adorable little frown creased her brow, which really made her look even more like her father and grandmother than she already did at her young age, and it made him run a hand over Thanya’s red-brown hair and he said, “Don’t worry, you’ll get it, mo leanbh.Don’t you worry about anything, my love, especially not on my account.”

Thanya cooed again and managed to put her hand around his finger.

“I love you too, Thanya Paige.Or rather, is aoibhinn liom tú.Now, will you be a good girl and go to sleep for Dadaí?”

Thanya pulled Armitage’s finger into her mouth in answer, making him chuckle, low and rich.

“Just like your mother.Okay, I’ll sing to you again, but that’s it.Do you want the same song, or something else?”

Thanya whimpered, and Armitage replied, “Alright, “My Lagan Love” it is again.” 

Dislodging his finger from her mouth, he adjusted his hold on her and continued, “Comfy now?Or would you like your mother in here too?Because I think she’s been spying on us for quite a while now.”

Rose jumped as he said that, still surprised at his preternatural gift that seemed to tell him whenever she was near. 

He turned, a wry smile on his face.“I told you not to get up, Rose.”

“I know,” Rose replied sheepishly.“I was just shocked when she stopped crying and I wanted to know what on earth got her to calm down.”

He smirked, “Well, it appears that both my girls seem to like my voice, so…”

“Well, you can’t fault us for finding it beautiful,” she said, moving into the room and wrapping an arm around her husband, joining him in looking at Thanya.

Thanya smiled happily, reaching out towards her, grasping her mother’s finger before also briefly putting it in her mouth.

“It seems she picked up your habit, mo chroí,” he teased.

She lightly slapped him on the back, and mock-glared at him.“Well, come on then, Mr. Hux, you promised this young lady a song, I believe.”

“Hold your fathiers, mo ghrá,” he replied.

And taking a deep breath, he began to sing the haunting melody once more.

However, this time, as he sang, he looked at Rose more than he looked at Thanya, who, barely one verse into the tune, was already asleep.

As his intense glass-green gaze pierced Rose, the tone of his voice shifted, becoming laced with tender longing and passion that made her heart race.

While he sang, she understood what he meant when he told their daughter that the song made him think of her.With the way he sang the all-too-apt words, it made her feel as if he had written it just for her, despite knowing that it was an ancient song from Arkanis.It made her feel loved beyond measure, and her heart tugged to know that she held so much power over her husband, how much of his happiness and joy she held in the palm of her hand—how much power she had over his very heart. 

But unlike others, she wouldn’t abuse it, leave it hurt, scarred and bleeding—no.She would treasure it as the gift it was, giving herself over to him entirely as recompense for his handing the entirety of his being over to her on a silver platter.

Because, for her, and only her to see, was he laid completely open, raw, and bare. 

The song drawing to a close, Armitage gently placed the sleeping Thanya in her crib as he slowed the tempo, before straightening and facing Rose, his hand coming up to cup her cheek, as he sang the closing lines gazing deeply into her eyes.

“Nor life I owe nor liberty,

For love is lord of all.

For love is lord of all.”

Rose exhaled a shuddering breath, leaning into his touch.

“I love you, Rose, mo rúnsearc,” he whispered, before leaning in and ardently kissing her, paradoxically life-giving and breath-stealing at the same time.

All too soon, the impulse to sate the burning in her lungs was greater than the impulse to sate the burning in her heart for him, and she drew back, gasping for breath.

Instinctively, he chased after her lips, before he realized that he too, had to breathe.

Their skin was flushed, and their breath mingled, their foreheads touching.

“I love you too, Armie,” she murmured, breath still ragged.

“You mean more to me than words can express, mo ghrá.You and Thanya are the greatest gifts I could have been given in this life,” he breathed, his eyes wide with yearning.

“Flatterer.”

“I’m not joking you,” Armitage replied, all seriousness, his hand having shifted to the side of her neck, where his thumb was repetitively skimming over her pulse point, sending shivers through her.“Without you, I would undoubtedly be the same vile being that I was.I would be the Supreme Leader, most likely, but supremely unhappy.You made me see that all the power in the world was not worth a credit.If someone had asked me five years ago if I would have been happy were I powerless, I would have said, 'absolutely not.'Though now, stripped of all rank and power, in what is essentially a glorified exile, but with you and Thanya at my side, I have all the happiness in the galaxy.Which is worth so much more than all the power in the world.” 

Here, he leaned in again, this time whispering into her neck, “And I must admit, I find that I rather like being powerless,” before searing kisses into the line of her throat that would surely leave a mark the next day.

Rose’s head fell back, allowing him more access to the sensitive areas of her neck, which he happily took advantage of, making her hands tangle in his copper strands. 

“Don’t—don’t start something you ca-can’t finish, Armitage,” Rose gasped, clutching onto him, feeling unmoored by the feelings he was stirring up in her. 

He looked into her eyes, with as sharp, calculating, and predatory a look as she had ever seen in him, reminding her that though he was, in all technicalities, powerless, there was still one power he held, one that would never encounter any Resistance: his power over her.“Oh, I fully intend to finish what I start.I always do,” he smirked, his voice pitched deliciously low.

Breath rushed out of her. Rose, caught in his darkened gaze, he slowly walked them back to their room.

* * *

She was right. Armitage did end up staying awake.

**Author's Note:**

> Take from that last line what you will—a more comedic interpretation, or… not.
> 
> Arkanish (Irish) Glossary
> 
> Mo Chroí: my heart (pronounced muh KHREE)
> 
> Móraí: grandma (pronounced MO ree)
> 
> Mo Leanbh: (pronounced muh LAN-uv) [literally means “my child.” Affectionate term of endearment.]
> 
> Dadaí: Daddy (pronounced DAH-dee)
> 
> Is aoibhinn liom tú: (pronounced iss even lum too) [literally translates to “you delight me”, but is an affectionate way of saying “I love you”.]
> 
> Mo Ghrá: my love (pronounced muh GRAWH)
> 
> Mo Rúnsearc: (pronounced muh ROON-shark) [literally “secret love”, this is a very passionate way of saying “beloved”.]
> 
> I used google translate and various websites to glean my information — Irish speaking people, please, please do not hesitate to correct me if anything is wrong here!
> 
> ———————————————————
> 
> I did some research on “My Lagan Love” to figure out what all the words in the song meant, but I wasn’t able to completely discover what some words meant, so here’s what I learned, from Wikipedia and a lovely website about traditional songs from the United Kingdom and Ireland. 
> 
> My readers, if you do have something to add to this, please do not hesitate to leave a review with your information, and I will be glad to add it.
> 
> "My Lagan Love" is a song to a traditional Irish air collected in 1903 in northern Donegal.
> 
> The English lyrics have been credited to Joseph Campbell (1879–1944, also known as Seosamh MacCathmhaoil and Joseph McCahill, among others). Campbell was a Belfast native whose grandparents came from the Irish-speaking area of Flurrybridge, South Armagh.
> 
> The Lagan referred to in the title most likely is the River Lagan in Belfast. Campbell's words mention Lambeg, which is just outside the city. The Lagan is the river that runs through Belfast. However, some argue that the Lagan in the song refers to a stream that empties into Lough Swilly in County Donegal.
> 
> A leannan-sidhe is a Faery Lover. This type of Faery Lover often takes a person's love and then leaves, leaving the human pining for their lost love. The poor mortals in the tales of leannan sidhe often died of sorrow. (Though we know Rose’d never do that to poor Armitage.) One could call her the femme fatale of Gaelic folklore. She sought the love of men; if they refused, she became their slave, but if they consented, they became her slaves, and could only escape by finding another to take their place. (We know he’d never seek to leave Rose, though.)
> 
> The crickets mentioned in the song are a sign of good luck and their sound on the hearth a good omen.
> 
> ————————————————————
> 
> My notes on “My Lagan Love”
> 
> I changed the word “Lily” to “Rose-bloom” because… well, just because.
> 
> I also only took the verses of the air which I thought relevant to Rose and Armitage.


End file.
